


The Long Road Home (AU)

by Kyuubiluver342



Series: The Many Times Seto Kaiba Was In Debt To Joey Wheeler [15]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Death, M/M, Murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 06:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17595911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyuubiluver342/pseuds/Kyuubiluver342
Summary: Seto and Mokuba were driving home when they see a stranger on the side of the road. Joey just wanted a ride back to town, but is there more to it than that?





	The Long Road Home (AU)

“I’m telling you, Seto, we are going the wrong way.” Mokuba said with a scowl, his arms crossed.

Seto gripped the steering wheel tighter and grit his teeth. His jaw was starting to hurt from how annoyed he was.

“And I keep telling you there is no other way!” Seto hissed back.

God, the road was so dark. This is what he got for taking back roads and not the main highway. Now, he wished he had just taken the highway and sat in traffic, instead of trying to go around it to get home faster. At least then they would know where they were going. Out here, there was absolutely no cell service at all, which meant GPS was useless too. It didn’t help that, besides their high beams, there was no lights on this road whatsoever and while Seto knew they had to make a turn soon, he had no idea where. 

They travelled maybe another mile or so before Mokuba spotted something odd. In the distance was a man, walking on the shoulder of the road. Seeing the lights coming, he stopped and stuck out his thumb, looking for a ride.

“Seto, we should stop for him.” Mokuba said pointing him out.

Seto, who hasn’t even noticed him, frowned. What was someone doing all the way out here? And covered in mud like he was? Hell no, he was not getting in Seto’s car looking like that.

“He could be a serial killer.” Seto muttered.

“Or he could be a guy whose car broke down. Come on, Seto, it looks like it’s about to rain.” Mokuba said glancing at the sky.

Seto scowled, it had been cloudy all day and it did look like it would rain soon. Sighing, he pulled over and unlocked the door.

“If he kills us, it’s all your fault.” Seto muttered before the door opened.

“Thanks! I didn’t expect to see another car all the way out here, so you guys startled me!” the man said.

He was barely a man, more like a teenage boy. With sandy blond hair and brown eyes, he was rather cute in his own way, though he was completely filthy. Cover from head to toe in mud and muck, Seto thought about grabbing a towel from his trunk, but it was much too late for that. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking happy, if not tired. Mokuba turned in his seat, happy to have someone new to talk to.

“I’m Mokuba and this is my brother, Seto. What were you doing all the way out here?” Mokuba asked as Seto pulled away from the curb and started driving again.

“Name’s Joey. I was out driving with some friends, but they got mad and kicked me out. Thought I was going to have to hoof it all the way back to town.” he said with a wince.

Seto frowned and glanced back in his rearview mirror. He was wearing a school uniform, but not one he recognized. Maybe he was from another school? But it kind of looked like an older version of his own school uniform. 

“How long have you been out here?” Mokuba asked.

“A long, long time. Kind of lost track of time while walking.” Joey whispered.

There was something almost dark about the way he said it and Seto shuddered a bit. He could only imagine how terrifying it must have been to be left out here, all alone, no way back home. 

“Well, don’t worry! We’ll get you home safe and sound, right Seto?” Mokuba asked and Seto shrugged.

He would at least get the kid back to town. Where he went from there didn’t matter to Seto. Just then the skies opened up and the rain started to come down, making Mokuba wince. Joey whistled and thanked them again for picking him up. Admittedly, Seto felt pleased too, the rain was nasty and he was having a hard time seeing. Mokuba and Joey talked about little things while Seto drove, but Seto did pick up that Joey had a sister, Serenity, that he hadn’t seen in a few years, but loved deeply. That his parents were divorced and he lived with his father most of the time.

Seto also caught on the Joey had been a bit of a troublemaker, maybe even a gang member in the past, but he was over that stage now and was just trying to make a life for himself. He had the kind of heartwarming story Hollywood directors dreamed of. 

“So your friends left you out here?” Mokuba asked some time later.

Joey gave a sad smile, something that made his face seem so much younger.

“Yeah, we weren’t the best of friends, but I never expected them to do this. Really makes you wonder about the company you keep, huh?” Joey said sadly.

Seto could understand that feeling. One reason he didn’t care for friends was how easy they could betray you. Blood was one thing, but friendship just seemed to dangerous to him. As they kept driving, Seto found himself having trouble figuring out where to go. Suddenly a hand was in Seto’s peripheral and he almost swerved off the road.

“You need to turn here. If you keep driving, you’ll end up lost.” Joey said and Seto blinked.

He quickly turned and glanced at Joey in the rear view mirror, but Joey didn’t look his way. Eventually, Seto saw the sign welcoming them back to Domino City and relaxed. The bright lights of the city were in the distance and both brothers felt rather happy to finally be back in the city.

“Looks like we are almost, huh Joey….Joey?” Mokuba said startled.

A quick glance over his shoulder told Seto that Joey was gone. The back seat was completely empty, nothing to even show someone had been sitting there. Seto jerked the car over and they both scrambled out, wondering if Joey had jumped out while they weren’t looking, but there was nothing there. No dirt on the floor, no wrinkles or mud on the seat to show someone had just been sitting back there. Nothing.

“Seto…?” Mokuba whispered frightened.

“Just get back in the car.” Seto said quickly.

They both hopped in and drove off, never seeing the young man standing in the woods, watching them with sad eyes. They returned home around midnight, both exhausted and a little fazed after their odd encounter. As Mokuba went up to bed, Seto found he couldn’t sleep, questions plagued him, so he figured he’d use his time wisely. Idly, he sat at his desk, checking over paperwork before finally giving into his curiosity. He started with the man’s name and other information that he provided in the talk with Mokuba. 

Ten years ago, on a cold and rainy night just like this one, a young man by the name of Joey Wheeler had gone missing. His sister, Serenity, had looked high and low for any information on his whereabouts, but had come up empty. He was declared missing, but since his family was poor, no one really looked for him. Everyone had just assumed he either left on his own or was just another victim of the streets, never to be seen again. Seto sat back in his chair and frowned before he picked up his phone.

“Roland, I need you to go check on something for me in the morning.” Seto demanded.

 

The next day, Seto and Mokuba got a call. Driving out to where Roland was, they found him and a few others standing on the side of the road.

“We already called the police. They are on their way, Sir.” Roland said.

Glancing over, Seto swallowed hard and had to keep himself from looking away. There, laying in a ditch, was little more than bones, but covered in a familiar, but ruined outfit. Joey Wheeler had been found, though not in the way anyone expected. Seto watched as the police pulled up and taped off the crime scene. The brothers were pulled off to the side and they gave their very rehearsed version of events.

“Mokuba and I were driving last night when I thought I hit something. We pulled over so I could check and I almost tripped over the bones. I couldn’t see them last night, but it didn’t seem right. So I had my team come out and check today.” Seto explained.

He was not about to tell the cops he had given a ghost a ride. As far as he was concerned, this was all they needed to know. As they started to process the spot, he watched as another car pulled up and a young woman got out. Between her lightly orange hair and soft features, Serenity Wheeler was still a beauty at twenty five. She walked over to the tape line and watched as they slowly removed the skull from the dirt, covering her mouth with her hand as tears gathered in her eyes. Seto walked over to her and she glanced at him before smiling.

“Are you the one who called the police? Are you the one who found my brother?” she asked softly.

“Yes. The police aren’t 100% sure it’s him, but I have a feeling he might be.” Seto admitted.

She smiled and nodded before turning back to the police. The tears rolled slowly down her face. Seto handed her a tissue he had and she nodded in thanks as she wiped her eyes.

“I waited ten years to see my brother again. I waited ten years to hear his voice or see his face. To think, he was so close by all this time.” Serenity whispered.

Seto frowned and looked at the woman. For years, she had searched for the brother she loved and all this time, he had been right under her nose.

“If I might make a suggestion, I would talk to the police about some of your brother’s old friends.” Seto said.

Serenity looked his way, startled before she nodding slowly. She seemed to understand what he was saying.

“I always wondered if they had something to do with his disappearance. I just never had any proof.” Serenity said softly.

Seto nodded and turned away. Now that the police were done questioning them, they could leave. Seto felt bad about leaving Serenity behind, but it was clear the woman wasn’t leaving any time soon. She had already waited this long to see her brother again, he doubted even a hurricane could move her from this spot right now. Getting in the car, Seto and Mokuba drove away.

“Thank you.” a soft voice said.

Eyes snapped to the back seat, where Joey now sat. He was clean now, the mud and muck gone. He looked happy as well, as if finally being found had lifted a weight off his soul.

“Thank you for finding me.” Joey said with a smile.

“You’re dead.” Mokuba said, as if Joey didn’t already know that.

Joey nodded slowly, but he was still smiling. He had a warm glow to him, and Seto found himself wondering.

“I didn’t know it when we talked, but I think I remember now. I died that night. I had no idea what they were planning, they were my friends, but I guess I caused too much trouble. I remembering waking up, trying to crawl out of the ditch. I don’t think I got very far.” Joey whispered.

“The next time I woke up, I was laying on the side of the road and didn’t know why. So I just started walking, but no matter how long I walked or how far, I could never make it to the city. Eventually, I would just fade away and wake up the next night to start all over again. Over the years, people stopped for me, gave me rides, but when the new highway was opened, people slowly stopped coming until no one came down this way at all. That’s why you startled me last night. I think a part of me knew it had been a while since anyone came down this way. I didn’t expect to see anyone.” Joey explained.

“No one ever believed what they saw. I guess they always passed me off as imaginary or something. I was giving up hope someone would ever listen to me.” Joey muttered.

He looked at them then and Seti felt the warmth in his very soul.

“Thank you for finding me. For telling someone where I was. For giving me back to my sister. Thank you.” Joey said.

Seto and Mokuba watched as he faded away. They drove the rest of the way home in silence, but spent the rest of the night together, just the two of them.

 


End file.
